Talking Tiffany - A QHS lecture

The Queens Historical Society (QHS) is planning a lecture on the graceful beauty of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s art and design work on Sunday, January 21 at Kingsland Homestead, located at 143-35 37th Avenue in Flushing.
Tiffany’s studio was located in Corona until it went out of business in 1939, and become the Roman Bronze Works, famous for its bronze statues such as those at Radio City Music Hall. Roman Bronze went out of business in the 1990s, but the building still stands and was awarded a Queensmarks plaque by QHS last year.
Photographer Chris Karitevlis will be presenting the slide lecture illustrating Tiffany and his two Long Island homes, The Briars and Laurelton Hall.
Tiffany is generally acknowledged as one of the finest artisans in the field of decorative art, but few people are aware of his contribution to interior decoration. Laurelton Hall has been cited by Tiffany as being his most important work.
Laurelton Hall, located in Oyster Bay, was completed in 1905, but burned down in 1957. It is currently the subject of an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art entitled, “Louis Comfort Tiffany & Laurelton Hall – An Artist’s Country Estate.” Tiffany used the Hall as his country retreat and gathering place for New York’s art-set at the beginning of the century. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Tiffany designed every aspect of the project.
For Tiffany buffs this lecture will be followed in February by an exhibition at the New York Historical Society (NYHS) on West 77th Street, entitled “The Women Who Worked for Tiffany,” which contains material on loan from the QHS.
Tiffany designer Clara Wolcott who created the dragon fly lamp corresponded regularly with her sister Emily who lived in Richmond Hill. Many of her letters contained original drawings of famous designs and when these letters came into the hands of the QHS they realized immediately they had something of considerable interest and importance. “We were happy to lend these letters to the New York Historical Society,” Jim Driscoll, president of the QHS said.
According to Driscoll, the letters came into QHS’s possession about ten years ago through the current owner of Emily Wolcott’s home. Wolcott first sold her house in the 1950s leaving a trunk containing the letters behind. She said she would send for the trunk but never did. When that owner sold the house in the 1990s the message was passed on to the current owner, who decided that 40 years was long enough to wait. He called the QHS.
Photographer Karitevlis’ work, which extends from professional photography to artisan, has designed many original stained glass works, mosaics and ceramic pieces.
The lecture will take place at 2:30 p.m. and is free with paid admission to the homestead, which is $3 for adults and $2 for seniors and students. Seating is limited. Off-street parking is available in the municipal lot at 37th Avenue and Union Street. For information on this lecture, or the upcoming NYHS exhibition call 718-939-0647, Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.